Artificial limb.



NO. 792,711. PATENTED JUNE 20,1905. E. 'KOEBER.

ARTIFICIAL LIMB.

urnmmfmu FILED NOV. 2a, 1903,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Hw II M. 'M, m "ah PATENTED JUNE 20, 19 05.

E. KOEBER.

ARTIFICIAL LIMB. APPLICATION FILED nov zs. 1903' 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

' NITED STATES Patented June 20, 1905.

PATENT OEEicE.

ARTIFICIAL LIIVIB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'No. 792,711, dated June 20, 1905.

Application filed November 23, 1903. Serial No. 182,279.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD KOEBER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Limbs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in artificial limbs.

Among the objects of my invention are, first, to provide a suitably-supported stop to limit the movement of a joint, such as a kneejoint, and, second, to provide a separable foot which may be attached to the ankle or shin of an artificial leg in such a manner as to be securely held in place without weakening the leg as a whole and yet in such a manner as to be readily and quickly detached. These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are accomplished by the devices shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a complete artificial leg fitted with my improvements.

' Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail of the knee-joint, showing my improved stop device. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the parts in reversed position. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the stop-arm. Fig. 5 is a front view of a portion of the artificial leg. Fig. 6 is a rear view of the same. Fig. 7 shows the detachable foot with the parts separated from each other, but shown in their relative positions. Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view through Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a detail of the under side of the connecting-plate, and Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section through an artificial foot and ankle fitted with a modified form of my invention.

Like letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A indicates the thigh member of an artificial leg; B, the leg member; C, the foot; D, the connecting-plate; and E, the knee-joint pivot. Extending through the legsection and below the knee-joint is the stoparm F, provided at one end with the upturned end f and provided at the opposite end with the bearing-plate G, which for convenient illustration is shown in the form of a star, but which may be of any suitable form. The thigh -section is preferably slotted back of the knee in the manner shown in Fig. 6 and may be reinforced by the plate H, extending across the back of the thigh-section just above the slot I. The stop-arm F extends through the leg-section in such a manner that the bearing-plate G is afforded an effective bearing against the outer face of the front of the leg-section, while the angularly-extending portion f extends upwardly into the slot I. Across the bottom of the slot I is a shoulder J, formed upon the thigh-section, which abuts against the arm f when the leg is in substantially straightened position. This stop may be afforded in any convenient manner; but in the leg shown in the drawings the thigh-seetion A is formed hollow in the usual manner, but closed at its lower end except for the vertical slot I, so.that the bottom of the thighseetion provides the shoulder J. It will thus be seen that whenever in use the leg is straightened the shoulder J, which is formed on a suitably-reinforced part,will abut against the arm f, thereby tending to draw the stoparm F backwardly, which in turn draws the plate Gr against the front face of the leg-seetion. For the reasons that the bearing-plate G may be given a sufiiciently broad bearing, thereby distributing the strain, that the front of the leg-section may be formed sufficiently thick to support the strain exerted against it by the pull of the stop-arm F, and that ordinaril y the plate G will be pulled against a convex surface I attain by this device a strong, simple, and effective stop for the knee-joint whichwill not break away any portion of the light structure of the leg-section.

The bearing-plate G is suitably secured to the face of the legsection-as, for instance, by screws. When the leg is flexed, the slot I passes over the stop-arm F, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the presence of the stop-arm does not in any manner interfere with the use and operation of the leg.

In Figs. 7 to 9 I have shown the details of the separable foot attached to my artificial leg.

As commonly made the feet of artificial legs are made integral therewith, and consequently whenever the foot is damaged the en-' tire leg must be removed and sent for repairs or alteration, the owner meanwhile being put to the inconvenience and discomfort of doing Without the leg. It has been recognized that if the foot could be so attached to the leg that it might be readily removed therefrom and reattached thereto without interfering with the satisfactory operation of the leg as a whole it would be a matter of great convenience to the wearers of artificial legs, because feet of stock sizes can be kept on hand, and whenever the foot needs alteration, repair, or replacing a duplicate thereof can be furnished and immediately attached to the leg as soon as the damaged or faulty foot is removed. In order to meet the requirements of a detachable foot, its attachments must be such as not to interfere with the devices for adjusting the elasticity and flexibility of the foot, the foot and the leg must be secured as against lateral movement with relation to each other, the leg portion must be protected against damage at the joint, as by splitting, &c., and the connecting devices must be simple of operation.

In the artificial foot shown in the drawings the foot is provided with a rocker K, of Wood or like material, resting upon the top of the foot, the body of which is formed of spongy rubber, and with a core L, through which passes a T-head connecting-rod M, said rod extending into the ankle portion of the leg through a bridge N, supported in the ankle portion, and a rubber washer 0, upon which rests a metal washer P, the whole beinglocked together by a nut Q, threaded upon the upper end of the rod M.

The c0nnecting-plate D consists of a substantially flat web provided with an upwardlyextending flange d and a downwardly-extending flange d", which flanges preferably extend around the entire periphery of the plate. In the preferred construction the flange d will fit snugly around the lower end of the ankle portion of the artificial leg, thereby protecting such portion from injury by splitting, &c., and in its simplest form the plate D will be secured, as by screws, directly to the bottom of the ankle portion of the leg, as shown in Fig. 9, and the rocker K in the foot portion may be dispensed with, the lower flange of the plate D snugly embracing the upper portion of the rubber foot and the plate D serving the double function of rocker and connecting-plate. As so constructed it will be seen that the flanges of the plate I) not only serve to protect the parts directly engaged by them, but as they snugly fit against such parts when the nut Q is tightened upon the rod M such flanges afford abutmcnts or stops which prevent any lateral movement as between the leg and the foot. If, however, it be considered that such construction does not afford sufiicient support, the rocker K may be used, as shown in Fig. 8, and the plate D may be secured either directly to the bottom of the leg portion or to the top of the rocker K by screws or otherwise, or it may be merely held in place by the clamping action induced by tightening the nut Q upon the rod M, or the structure may be still further supported against lateral movement by the use of dowelpins R. I

In Fig. 8 it will be noted that I have shown the plate D'screwed directly to the bottom of the leg portion and have also shown dowelpins extending through the plate D and engaging both the leg portion and the rocker K;

but obviously either the screws or the dowel-.

pins or the rocker K, or all of them, may be dispensed with without departing from the spirit of my invention. In other words, whether or not the screws, rocker, and dowelpins, or any of them, shall be used is merely a matter of selection, if in the judgment of the mechanic one or the other, or all of them, is required for additional security.

In the modified form of my invention shown in Fig. 10 the lower end of the bolt M is fitted with a cross-bar M which has a rocking engagement with the under side of the core L. The lower end of the bolt M and the upper end of the bolt M terminate in the eyes S and S. The upper face of the core L. is

provided with a horizontal groove, in which a cylinder T extends transversely of the foot. This cylinder T is cut away at the point through which the bolt M passes, thus allowing a slight rocking motion of the ankle-section on the footsection, with the bottom of the eye S as one fulcrum. The ankle portion is held from lateral motion by the cylinderT fitting into the groove in the core L and a corresponding groove in the ankle-section.

In the use of an artificial limb fitted with my modified form of foot when the foot is placed on the floor or ground and the weight of the body is thrown upon it the ankle-section'rocks forward, slightly compressing the forward part of the foot-section at or near the outer edge. When the impinging force is removed, the parts regain their normal position. These operations closely approximate the ankle movement in the natural limb.

I claim-- 1. In an artificial limb, the combination with two pivotally-connected members, of a stop device comprising a bearing-plate arranged upon the outer face of one of said members, an arm extending horizontally inwardly through said member and at one side of the pivotal connection, said arm being provided adjacent to its inner end with a stop, and a shoulder upon the other of said members adapted to engage said stop.

2. In an artificial leg, the combination with the thiglrsection and the leg-section jointed together, of a stop device comprising a bearing-plate arranged upon the top face of the leg-section, an arm extending horizontally inwardly from said plate and at one side of said joint, a stop carried by said arm, and a shoulder upon the thigh-section adapted to engage said stop at the desired limit of movement.

3. In an artificial leg, the combination with the thigh-section and the leg-section jointed together to form a knee-joint, of a stop comprising a bearing-plate secured to the outer face of the top of the leg-section, an arm secured to said plate and extending rigidly backward through the leg-section, and provided with a stop, a shoulder on the thigh-section adapted to engage said stop at the desired limit of movement, said thigh-section being provided with a slot extending upwardly from said shoulder so as to receive said arm when the leg is fiexed.

4. In an artificial leg, the combination with the leg-section terminated adjacent to the ankle, of a foot separate from said leg-section, a connecting-plate adapted to fit the lower end of said leg-section and to also fit the upper surface of said foot, said plate being provided with a flange adapted to surround the lower end of said leg section. and with another flange adapted to surround the upper end of the foot-section, and means arranged to separably secure the foot, the plate and the legsection together in their proper relative positions.

5. In an artificial leg, the combination with a leg-section, of a separable feet, a plate interposed between the foot and the lower end of the leg-section, means engaging said legsection and engaging said foot-section for preventing the independent movement of either of said sections with relation to the other, and means for separably securing the leg-section, the plate and the foot together in their proper relative positions.

6. In an artificial leg, the combination with a leg-section, of a separable foot provided at its top with a top piece or rocker of wood or the like, the connecting-plate arranged to be interposed between the leg-section and the top of the foot, means upon said plate for engaging the lower portion of the leg-section and for also engaging the top or rocker of the foot, and means for separably securing said leg-section, said plate and said feet together in their proper relative positions.

7. In an artificial leg, the combination with a leg-section, of a plate fitted upon the lower end thereof and provided with a flange surrounding the lower end of said leg-section, a separable feet, a flange upon said plate arranged to engage said foot, a core embedded in said foot, a connecting-rod engaging said core, and extending upwardly through said foot, said plate and into said leg-section, a nut threaded upon the upper end of said rod, and

a support for said nut mounted in said legsection.

8. In an artificial leg, the combination with a leg-section and a separable foot, of means for separably securing the foot to the leg-section, a plate arranged to cover the joint between the foot and the leg-section, and means for securing said plate in place.

9. In an artificial leg, the combination with a leg-section, a separable foot, and means for separably securing the foot to the leg-section, said means being adapted to allow a movement of the foot independent of the leg-section, and comprising a rod secured in the foot and movably connected with a corresponding rod secured to the leg-section and a stop interposed between the leg-section and the footsection.

10. In an artificial leg, the combination with a leg-section, a separable foot, means for separably securing the foot to the leg-section, and means comprising a stop, interposed between the leg-section and foot, for preventing relative lateral movement therebetween.

11. In an artificial leg, the combination with a leg-section, a separable foot, means for separably securing the foot to the leg-section, and means, interposed between the leg-section and foot, for preventing relative lateral movement therebetween, comprising a stop embedded partly in the foot and partlyin the leg-section.

12. In an artificial leg, the combination with a leg-section, of a separable foot, means for separably securing the foot to the leg-section, said means being adapted to allow a movement of the foot independent of the legsec-. tion, and means comprising a stop interposed between the leg-section and foot for preventing lateral movement therebetween.

13. In an artificial leg, the combination with a leg-section, of a separable foot, means for separably securing the foot to the leg-section, said means being adapted to allow a movement of the foot independent of the leg-section, and means interposed between the legsection and foot for preventing lateral movement therebetween, comprising a stop embedded partly in the foot and partly in the legsection.

14. In an artificial leg, the combination with a leg-section, of a separable foot, means for separably securing the foot to the leg-section, said means being adapted to allow the movement of the foot independent of the leg-section, such means comprising a rod secured to the foot, means, connected with a corresponding rod secured in the leg-section, and a stop interposed between the leg-section and foot for preventing relative lateral movement therebetween.

15. In an artificial leg, the combination with a leg-section, of a separable foot, means for separably securing the foot to the leg-section,

said means being adapted to allow the move- A between, comprising a stop embeddcd'partly ment of the foot independent of the leg-secin the foot and partly in the leg-section. tion, such means comprising a rod secured to the foot, means connected With acorrespond- EDWARD KOEBER' 5 ing rod secured in the leg-section, and means 7 Witnesses:

interposed between the leg-section and footfor F. H. DRURY,

preventing relative lateral movement there- M. E. SHIELDS. 

